Air-compressor.



No. 719,127. PATENTED JAN. 27; 1903. W. M. MYERS.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEU. 14, 1901.

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PATENTBD JAN. 27, 1903.

W. M. MYERS. AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLIOATION FILED DB0. 14, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 719,127. PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903.

W. M. MYERS.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 14, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lllnirrn Sterns Arnr OFFICE.

"WILLAM M. MYRS, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

AER-COMPRESSOR BEEUIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,127,dated January 27, 1903. Application tiled December 14,1901. Serial No.85.953. (No model.)

To L7/Z whom may concern/.-

'Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. MYERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Compressors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in air-compressors, and hasspecial reference to that class of compressors which employ a pumpingmechanism.

The main object of my invention is the provision of an air-compressorwhich will not be heated by compressing air, thereby causing the workingparts to be entirely free from heat and more durable, Whose heat isabsorbed entirely, thereby avoiding the compressing of heated, andconsequently rareiied, air, thus adding largely to the efciency, andwhose parts are so arranged that every particle of air within itscompression-chambers will be ejected at each and every stroke, thusproviding a simple means by which air can be compressed to any desiredpressure.

To attain the desired objects, the invention consists of anair-compressor embodying novel features of construction and combinationof parts, substantially as disclosed herein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa longitudinal section cut verticallythrough the center of my compressor, and Fig. 2 is a top plan viewlthereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the compresser, taken centrallythereof looking toward the compression-chambers.

Referring by numerals to the drawings, my invention consists of areciprocating piston 1, driven Within the cylinder 2 by any suitablemeans. Compression-chambers 3 and 4 communicate with cylinder 2 and areprovided with suitable inlet and outlet checkvalves 5 and 6 and 7 and 8,respectively. The liquid-supply pump 8 consists of a cam-actuatedreciprocating piston 9, traveling Within the cylinder 10, which isprovided with inlet check-valves 11 and 12 and with outlet check-valves13 and 14, opening into cyliuder 2. The length of stroke of piston 9 isregulated by the pivotal connection 15, adjustably connecting the lowerend of the rocker-arm 16, an adjustable sliding connecting-block 15having the set-screw 15b to regulate the adj ustinentwith the cam-rod17,driveu by its pivotally-attached eccentric-strap 18, oscillating onpivot 19, carrying friction-rol1 ers 2O and 2l, the whole being actuatedby cam 22 on and rotating with shaft 23, said rocker-arm 16 beingjournaled in the bearing 23, carried by a portion of the frame 23h.

The outlet check-valves 6 and 8 open into the chambers 24 and 25,respectively, which in turn communicate through pipes 26 and 27 with thedischarge-pipe 28, opening into the receiving-tank 29, which is providedwith an air-discharge pipe 30 and with a iioat-operated liquid-outletvalve 31 to automatically open and close the liquid-outlet 32, whichopens into the cooler 33, provided with a discharge-pipe 34, having acock 35, a head-cock 31 limiting the flow through pipe or inlet 32. Thecooler is provided with a pipe 38, having a three-way cock 37controlling passage from pipe 38 and pipe 39 into the chamber 41, whichcommunicates with inlet check-valves 11 and 12. The cooler 33 is in thecoolingchamber 42, which is provided with the inlet y 43 and the outlet44.

To the inlet 43 of the cooler is connected a cold-water supply 44, sothat a continual supply of cold water can circulate around the cooler33, and thus insure the cooling of the water therein as it passes fromthe tank 29 to the chamber 4l.

The float-operated valve 3l is pivotally attached to a hinged arm 45, tothe free end of which is secured a float 46, provided with a tube 47,extending into the iioat and terminating at a point near the lower sideof the iioat and having its outer end curved down- Ward at 48. Bymanually pulling upon the handle 49 of the hand-rod the float is raisedwhen desired in case the valve 31 should become sticky and be in such acondition as to render it impossible for the float to operate it.

In the operation of my invention the reciprocating piston is followed inits travel toward the left by liquid until said piston reaches the endof its travel, it being obvious that as liquid becomes thus lowered inthe chamber 4 the outside atmosphere or air of its own pressure willforce downward and open check-valve 7 and that when the piston is at theend of its travel the chamber4 will be Iilled with air. At this juncturethe cam22 is so adjusted on the shaft 23 as to actuate the piston 9,causing it to travel toward the right and expel a proper amount ofliquid from the cylinder lO through its Valve 13 into the cylinder 2 andto cease operation before 5 much compression of air takes place. Thisproper amount of liquid is adj usted by lengthening or shortening thestroke of piston 9 by adjusting the pivot l5 on the rocker-arm 16. Sincethe liquid most generally used for absorbing heat of compression isWater and since the service of such water-supply is always of lowertemperature than the surrounding atmosphere and also thatwith mysupply-pu mp a sufficient quantity of said water will be sup- /fplied toabsorb all the heat generated in chamber 4, I have provided a means toallow the proper amount of water to be supplied, and have thus providedagainst the waste of energy which would arise from supplying more thanthe required quantity of water. By this means the chamber 4 has all ofits heat absorbed by the water, this having been actually demonstratedby moisture of atmosphere surrounding chamber 4 being visibly condensedand deposited upon the outer surface of said chamber. It is furtherobvious that as piston l travels toward the right checkvalves 7 and 13will automatically close by the internal pressure of the liquid and air,and the check-valve 8 will be forced upward and open, allowing freedischarge of air through said valve and its proper pipe connections intothe tank, and it is also obvious that an equal amount of liquid to thatinjected into the chamber 4 by piston 9 will follow the last particle ofair through valve S, hydraulically ejecting the air from chamber 4,after which valve 8 will automatically close, piston l having startedtoward the left. The chamber 24 and pipe 26 will (after closing thevalve S) retain the amount of liquid injected during one entire movementof piston l and will in that time absorb all heat in the Valve 8 and thecham ber and its pipe 26 imparted by the compressed air passingtherethrough. Upon a repetition of the above-described operation theliquid in chamber 24 and pipe 26 will be driven into tank 29 and thereremain until released by the float-valve and discharged through the pipeand cock. Cylinder l0 is supplied with liquid from any suitable sourcethrough its pipe, the three-way cock 32, pipe 40, and chamber 41. Theoperation is identical in chamber 3 and its relative parts, it being,however, upon the reverse movement of the piston l. By interposing aliquid between said piston and air the supply of said liquid is somaintained as to provide a sufficient amount at each piston-stroke toexpel every particle of air from the compressionchambers and todischarge such quantity of liquid as is required to absorb all the heatcaused by compression of said air. Since the piston l is alwayssubmerged in liquid,

in the usual style of compressors in use is completely obviated ,andsince my compressor the leakage of air past the piston as found willfrequently be used for obtaining high pressures of air in the tank it isnecessary that a oat must be constructed to operate in a high pressureto avoid extraordinary weight, the form shown and described being themost desirable. This float is provided with an opening through thepipe-crook 48 and pipe 47 into the interior of said float, thusequalizing at all times the internal pressure with the externalpressure. Should any water accumulate in the iioat, it will be expelledthrough the pipe 47 and its crook 48 whenever the air-pressure in thetank is reduced below that in the oat. The water which may accumulate iniioat 46 will never be expelled therefrom by a standing or an increasingpressure of air in tank 29; but the standing or increasing pressure willequalize the pressure in float 46 by reason of its communication throughcrooked pipe 47. Since tank 29 is simply-a storage-tank to supplycompressed air for use, it is obvious that the use of the air will causethe pressure to liuctuate, and since the water accumulated in float 46will by reason of its gravity lie in the lower part of the iioat 46 andin and surrounding the lower and inner extremity of the crooked pipe 47it is evident that whenever the fluctuating pressure of the air in tank29 falls below the pressure of air in the fioat the excessive pressureof air in the float will pass downward upon the surface of the Water insaid Heat and expel said water therefrom through the pipe 47. The cooler33 is so arranged that either oil or water may be used in thecompressor. 37 so as to assume the position shown in dotted lines, Fig.l, oil is allowed to flow through pipe 37n from the tank 37h, and as thepipe 34 is cut off by the cock 35 the surplus oil passing into the tank29 is allowed to Iiow into the cooler 33 and thence through the pipe 38to the chamber 4l, the oil from pipe 37u also passing through pipe 39into chamber 4l. When water is used, if it is not desired to use it inthe compressor the cock 37 is closed and 35 is opened.

While I have shown and described my invention in the foregoing and atpresent as being the preferred form and manner of operation, I do notdesire to limit myself to the structural details illustrated, butreserve the right to change, modify, or vary such details as I may fromtime to time find necessary or convenient without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Vhat I claim as new isl. In an air-compressor, the combination with twovertically-arranged compressionchambers in which liquid is adapted to bereciprocated, a horizontal chamber in communication with said chambers,a horizontal reciprocating piston in said chamber, a smaller horizontalchamber below the said chamber and in communication therewith to supplyliquid to the compression-chamber, a piston mounted so as to reciprocatein said By turning the cock ICO IIO

smaller horizontal chamber to force the liquid into the pump-chamber, anadjustable reciprocating lever connected with said last-mentionedpiston, a rod operated by an eccentric adjustably connected with saidlever so as to limit the throw of the piston, and a motive power foroperating the lever and the horizontal reciprocating piston, of a tankto receive the compressed air and means to cool the liquid before it issupplied to the small horizontal chamber.

2. In an air-compressor, the combination of a series ofcompression-chambers, means to supply liquid thereto, of a tank toreceive the compressed air and overflow of liquid, and a water-supplyfor supplying water to the compression-chambers, an oil-supply incommunication with the compression-chambers, and means for connectingthe water-supply or the oil-supply with the compression chambers,substantially as set forth.

3. In an air-compressor, the combination of a series ofcompression-chambers, a horizontal liquid-chamber in communication withsaid chambers, means for supplying the liquid thereto as it is needed,and a source of water-supply and an oil-supply for thecompression-chambers, and means for admitting either oil or water to thecompression-chambers, substantially as set forth.

4. In an air-compressor, the combination of a series ofcompression-chambers, a horizontal chamber in communication with saidchambers, means for supplying a liquid thereto as it is needed, and asource of Water-supply and an oil-supply for the compressionchambers,and means for admitting either oil or water to the compression chambers,of means for cooling the liquid located intermediate of the horizontalchamber and the source of supply as the liquid flows therefrom,comprising a surrounding casing having an inlet and outlet for thecooling liquid and an interior casing adapted to receive the liquid fromthe source of supply and also the overflow from the compression-chambersand allow the liquid to ow to the compression-chambers.

5. In an air-compressor, the combination of a series ofcompression-chambers, a horizontal chamber in communication with saidchambers, means for supplying the liquid thereto as it is needed, and asource of water-supply and an oil-supply for the compression-chambers,and means for admitting either oil or water to the compression-chambers,of a tank to receive the compressed air and overflow liquid, comprisinga casing having an inlet for the air and overflow liquid and the outletfor the air and the outlet for liquid, and a iioat-controlled devicemounted within the casing to limit the amount of liquid in the casingand allow it to flow through the liquid-outlet.

6. In an air-compressor, the combination with a compressing mechanism inwhich the liquid is adapted to be reciprocated and supplied thereto, ofa water-supply and an oilsupply, a short pipe leading to the compressor,and pipes leading from the water-supply and oil-supply in communicationwith the short pipe, and means for connecting the oil-supply orwater-supply with said short pipe.

7. In an air-compressor, the combination of two vertically-arrangedcompression-chambers, a substantially T-shaped pipe in communicationwith the upper ends of said compression-chambers, valve-controlledinlets in the upper ends of said compression-chambers for admitting airto the chambers, and valvecontrolled outlets interposed between the T-shaped pipe and the compression-chambers for checking the iiow of iiuidbackward into the chambers, a reciprocating pump mounted below saidchambers and adapted to be reciprocated to reciprocate a liquidalternately in said compression-chambers, a chamber located below thepump-chamber and communicating therewith through the valve-inlets, areciprocating piston mounted in said chamber adapted to feed the liquidthrough said valved inlets to the chamber, a supply 0f liquid incommunication with said chamber in which the piston is mounted, arock-shaft having its lower end connected with said piston, a motivepower, a rod connected to the upper end of the rock-shaft and the motivepower to operate the shaft and reciprocate the piston, and a crank-armconnected to the pump.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. MYERS.

Witnesses:

ROBERT E. LEE WHITE, GEORGE W. I-IINTON.

IOO

